How do you do books

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Inspired by this thread: 2 weeks after a book being published, why is there no price crash on Ebay?

Buying books - do you have a particular genre, or will you read anything?
Do you buy books as soon as they’re out, wait for the paperback or the price to go down, or wait until you can get it used? Do you prowl the used book stores? Look for new to you books in the bookstore? Or surf the suggested books on Amazon?

Or are you on a free ebook list?

For physical books, after you finish the book, what do you do with it? Sell it, keep it, share it, give it away?

For ebooks, do you organize them?

Genre - mainly romance, with the occasional urban fantasy and mystery novels

Until I got a tablet, I never was first in line for a book. I mostly shopped the used book stores, with a select few authors I would buy new. Now, if a favorite author in the tawdry romance section puts out a new book, I will buy it ASAP. Actually, I only have one author that I do that with. I get an email every day with free books, which has replaced the used book scavenging.

I only keep books I know I will want to reread - everything else goes to the used book store when I’ve filled a box.

One other bit of info. It is almost impossible for me to quit a book. It has to be really bad!

(Mods: I know this would normally go in Cafe Society, but I think that forum will skew heavier to book fanatics, and we might get a more average response here)

2

SF & fantasy fiction (I’ll include horror genres and dystopias here), a little bit of historical fiction, history generally (from general survey histories to very specific, extremely niche studies), the very occasional biography, biology-oriented books generally from taxonomic field guides to philosophy (less of those as I’ve aged). Occasionally trade paperback comic collections/graphic novels, but that’s a little on the wane as well. By contrast genre fiction I almost never touch include: mysteries, westerns, crime in general, romance. Though even with those there are some specific exceptions (like Carl Hiaasen in crime/humor).

I buy whenever something strikes my fancy. I don’t read as many books as I used to and I mostly don’t have to economize. However certain more expensive history monographs (say the $75 and up stuff) might sit on on a “to buy” list for quite some time before I finally spring for them.

Used to. They’re great for getting those obscure expensive monographs cheaper and I used to buy most of my fiction there as well. But I’ve fallen out of the habit - it’s mostly Amazon these days (though I will buy used).

Used to, as above. Rarely do so now. The local University Press book store once in awhile until they finally closed a little while back.

Although most of my purchases come off of Amazon these days, I am not generally interested in suggestions and have bought very few if any.

Don’t do ebooks at all, absolutely hate audio books. My foray into ebooks was brief (1rst generation Kindle) and soon abandoned. Might give it another go one of these days.

Referenceable material (biology, history) are to be kept until the sun cools. Fiction accumulates until it becomes burdensome and then some proportion is culled and sloughed off, usually at a free community exchange site at a nearby recycling center. I do re-read fiction though, so I’ll hold titles I think I’ll revisit or even re-buy formerly disposed of books again (I usually do go used with those).

3

I rarely buy books for myself. I do buy books (from local b &m bookstores) for gifts, especially for my grandchildren and as baby shower gifts. My darling little sister gifts me books from my favorite authors. Like Diana Gabaldon, Craig Johnson, Paul Doiron or CJ Box. Those I keep because I’ll often reread them.

The vast (95%+) majority of the books I read are from the public library, the physical dead tree kind. Every once in a while I’ll download a book from the library’s free Libby app. I make liberal (heh, in more ways than one) use of the free ‘hold’ feature to request my favorite authors as soon as a new release is offered. I browse the fiction new arrival shelves and mysteries shelves and occasionally find something intriguing there.

My library also has a Friends Of The Library bookshelf selling culled or donated books for 50 cents-$1-$2 for a CD and I find old favorite authors there that I might bring home just in case I gasp(!!) run out of fresh library books.

I primarily read mysteries and legal thrillers, historical novels meandering in sometimes.

4

Since I’m probably 1,000 books behind on my collection, and old enough to think it is unlikely I’ll get to them, I buy very few books anymore. I used to buy gobs from used bookstores, SF mostly, and focusing on older books from the 50s - 70s to fill in holes in my collection. If I really want to read something I don’t have I get it from the library, as an ebook if I’m traveling.
The only kind of exception is that I subscribe to 4 SF magazines.
I’m not reading nearly as fast as I did in high school or grad school. Damn internet.

5

If I plan on re-reading or if it is a reference, I keep it. I have thousands of books now, my wife also. I share some, and give the rest away.

I buy books from Amazon and B&N. I try to buy used books for Amazon associates like charities selling them.

I have recently quit two female best selling fantasy authors, where in the first few pages, their protagonist- and i am not exaggerating- got drunk, did drugs and had random sex with a many they just met. Not my style of fantasy.

I read british mysteries, Fantasy, and entertaining non-fiction, like Bill Bryson.

I used to work in a used book store in San Jose, and pretty much they let me take home any books I wanted.

6

Same here. Tho for me, it is 100%. I can look books up on line and place them on hold, to be picked up at the drive-up window. If my library does not have it, I can order it from another library in the network. My wife and I each drive past the library at least once a week…

On the other end, they eliminated late fees (something I never really understood.) So the impact on my mind is that there are NO due dates. So I just keep a book or 2 (or 5) on the nightstand, and when the stack gets low, I place a new order.

The Sunday paper has book reviews. When I read it, if there is an author/book that seems interesting, I’ll put it on hold, whether or not they currently own a copy. And, of course once I read one book that I like by a particular author, I take out others by the same author.

A good library is kinda high on the list of important factors for me when looking for where to live.

7

I buy most of my books online (Kindle) but occasionally purchase a physical book in a local independent book store. I exclusively read non-fiction titles, particularly history-related books or biographies. Lately I’ve been interested in books about living a long and healthy life, like books about Blue Zones, but I have also just started a book about the murder of the two princes in the Tower of London. That kind of historical mystery fascinates me for some reason.

8

I read almost exclusively non-fiction nowadays, mainly linguistics, philosophy and history. Through work, I have access to many specialized and academic sources at attractive prices, or even for free. I definitely take advantage of that opportunity.

Then, there are books I really want to not only read but also keep and cherish. Those, I add to the list that my parents and brother use for Christmas and birthdays.

As for literature, I buy exclusively second-hand books in a local shop or on flea markets. The great thing about it is that I never know what I may come across. I’ve had some amazing surprises like this, books that I’d never thought I’d find, or that I had completely forgotten about. I also love finding unexpected items in them such as bookstore receipts, ads and, best of all, personal messages scribbled on the flyleaf.

Like @Zyada, I must finish the books I start. Unfortunately.

Finally, I also like to synchronize my readings with external factors. I read books about the forest in autumn, scary books in November, books from French authors in spring, and whatever is related to the place I’m vacationing in in July and August. Linguistics all year 'round, though.

9

For authors I cherish, I buy the hard-bound, first-edition if possible. Everybody else I get on Kindle. I’ve given up not giving up on books. Life is too short to read crap.

These days I really like reading self-published stuff on Kindle Unlimited. I’ve been watching certain authors develop their story-telling chops real-time, with no editing except for friendly proof-readers and reader feedback. No way Jerry Boyd could have published 51 books in the Bob & Nikki series with dead tree editions and conventional editing/marketing. His comma usage has gone from really annoying to almost acceptable in only 4 years. :stuck_out_tongue:

10

These days, library book sales hunting for nonfiction. Those are not, for the most part, sales of old library books but books donated for fundraising purposes. A hardback costs a breathtaking $2.00 in these inflationary times - when I started going, it was 50 cents, or even a quarter - but the quality is usually good. The selection is hit or miss, but every library in the county has its own sale and you soon learn which are reliable.

The rest I get out of the library, so it’s probably around 50/50.

11

The vast majority of what I read are ebooks checked out of my local library (with the app called Libby - I highly recommend it). I get recommendations from friends and family and some trusted podcasts.

12

I read most evenings, so I buy a book a week on average. The last 5 years or so they’ve all been kindle editions.

When we are in St Martin for vacation, I have read a few books from the collection at the place we stay. Many of those books are in foreign languages, though. So each year I make a point of bringing a few paperbacks that I like and adding them to the collection. There are now about 50 of “my” books among the others.

13

Almost all of my reading is bought on Amazon because I’m just lazy. About 90% is downloaded to Kindle; the remainder are trade paperbacks I can read in the hot tub or take traveling. If they are not too trashed after reading they end up in the neighborhood “little library”.

14

I have a lot of books, mostly bought new from bookstores. And I’ve bought books from Amazon, and from used bookstores, both brick& mortar and online. But these days the vast majority of my books come from the library, and are ebooks that i get via Libby.

15

Since I’ve become addicted to audiobooks, most of my actual book purchases are old books from antique shops.

Not sure if anyone believes that I’m “that deep, philosophical guy with an old book in the dark corner of the coffee joint”, when they see it’s a vintage Hardy Boys book…

Audiobook-wise, I’ve been using the Libby app, but when I’m sick of waiting for the next book in a series (“Oh, look, I’m only 99th in line for that new Pendergast book!”), I’ll buy it from Libro.fm… a percentage goes to the indy bookstore of your choice, and they publish recommendations from those booksellers.

And their sales are great; just picked up a full-cast version of Good Omens for $3.49, and Braiding Sweetgrass: 16 hours’ worth for $4.19!

Oh, I should include my comic book reading. I buy those to READ, not to collect, and scour the “Buck Or Less” budget bins at a wide range of shops (and wide-ranging: I’m doing a road trip this weekend, and I’ve got comic book shops mapped out along my route).
One thing I love about comics is that they fit in my sketchbook bag, so I’ve always got something to read with me.

16

Like @BippityBoppityBoo and @Dinsdale, I am a good library user. I way prefer physical books but will do an ebook if the hard copy is unavailable. A few times a year I buy books for myself, usually from betterworldbooks or eBay. I buy new books for Christmas/birthday presents for friends.

Any books I buy for myself stay with me.

I prefer literary fiction, mysteries, and police procedurals (British).

17

but that’s being inconsiderate of others who want to read the book–libraries don’t have that many copies of a book

18

Lots of questions in the OP. Also, my book-buying habits have changed since the advent of Kindle.

One of my little pleasures used to be browsing in bookstores. I’d spend many an afternoon in one, exploring the sections that interested me, and also the tables on which various heavily discounted specials were laid out, many of which were really worthwhile (For example, Stephen Hawking’s The Theory of Everything, a transcript of his famous Cambridge lectures, was practically free on one of those discount tables because apparently no one wanted it. I did! Or, on a less cerebral level, a lavishly illustrated book on the history of automobiles, offered at something like 10% of its original price.) And if there was a new book out that I wanted, I generally couldn’t wait for the paperback edition and just bought the hardcover when it came out.

I don’t do any of that any more, and that seems to be a trend that is one of the challenges that brick-and-mortar bookstores face these days. Most of the books I’ve bought recently have been Kindle versions, instantly downloaded from Amazon. But I’ll buy the hardcopy either if it’s not available in a Kindle edition or if there’s some reason to prefer the physical book. That doesn’t happen often, though, and I probably buy old books for their value as collector’s items as often as I buy new physical books. For the same reason, if and when I do buy a physical book, I never throw it out. I like watching my library grow.

19

I mostly buy rare books. They’re always used, and from a rare bookseller with a great reputation. If they tell me that it’s a first edition inscribed, then I believe them (their buyers and authenticators can attest to that, with cites), and the books I buy from them become part of my rare book collection.

Otherwise, it’s drugstore paperbacks, for the most part. Maybe firsts, unsigned (Me, by Elton John, and The Testaments, by Margaret Atwood), but otherwise, drugstore paperbacks.

ETA: Although I’ll always give a look at a book on horse racing, one of my hobbies.

20

They have a limit of how many books you can take out at the same time. So he probably doesn’t have any more books than a teenager who is an avid reader. I used to routinely take out ten books at a time back when they were due in 2 weeks.